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Washer Repair Guides
Troubleshooting and how-to guides for your washing machine, written from manufacturer instructions. Start with the easiest check in each guide and stop where it says to call a pro.
- 14 guides
- Safety notes in every guide
- Checked against manufacturer sources
- Washer Not Filling With Water? 9 Causes and How to Fix Them
Most washers that won't fill have a supply problem: a hot or cold faucet that's partly closed, a kinked fill hose, or inlet screens packed with grit.
- How to Reset an LG Washer: Power Reset, Codes and Tub Clean
LG's documented reset is a full power-down: turn the washer off, unplug it, switch off its breaker, hold START/PAUSE for 5 seconds, then restore power and try again.
- How to Reset a Whirlpool Washer: 5-Minute Reset and Codes
Whirlpool's reset for its washers is a 5-minute power disconnect: unplug the washer (or switch off its breaker), wait the full 5 minutes, plug it back in and start a new cycle.
- How to Reset a Samsung Washer: Power Cycle and Calibration
Samsung says its washers have no true reset button: you unplug the washer or switch off its breaker for about 1 to 5 minutes, then power it back up.
- Washer Won't Start? 8 Things to Check Before Calling for Service
A washer that won't start usually has one of three simple problems: the control lock is on, the door or lid isn't fully latched, or the Start button wasn't held long enough (Whirlpool says up to 3 seconds on many models).
- Washer Won't Spin? 8 Causes and How to Fix Them at Home
A washer that won't spin is usually reacting to an unbalanced load, a low or no-spin setting, too many suds or water it can't drain.
- Washer Won't Drain? 7 Causes and How to Fix Each One
Most washers that won't drain have a kinked drain hose, a pump filter packed with lint and small objects, or too many suds from the wrong detergent.
- Washer Smells Like Mildew? How to Get Rid of the Odor for Good
That musty smell comes from mold and bacteria feeding on detergent and fabric softener residue in damp spots: the front-load door gasket, the dispenser, the drain pump filter and the outer tub.
- Washer Shaking Violently or Walking? Causes and Fixes That Work
On a new or recently moved front-loader, violent shaking usually means the shipping bolts are still in the back panel.
- Washer Leaking Water? How to Find the Source and Fix It
Most washer leaks come from a fill hose with a worn or missing rubber washer, a drain hose that has slipped out of the standpipe, or, on front-loaders, debris caught in the door boot.
- How to Replace Washer Inlet Hoses: Braided vs Rubber Guide
Whirlpool and GE both recommend replacing washer fill hoses every 5 years, sooner if you see bulges, cracks or drips at the couplings.
- How to Level a Washing Machine: Step-by-Step With Tools and Time
To level a washer, set a bubble level on the lid, adjust the front feet until it reads level side to side and front to back, then tighten the lock nut on each foot against the cabinet.
- How to Clean a Washer Drain Pump Filter (Front-Load Guide)
The drain pump filter sits behind a small door or panel at the bottom front of most front-load washers.
- Front Load Washer Door Won't Open? Why It's Locked and What to Do
A front-load washer keeps its door locked while there's water in the drum, while the drum is still turning, or while the inside is hot, so a door that won't open usually means the washer hasn't drained.